


Sweater Weather

by Quyinn



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove Is Bad at Feelings, Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Soft Billy Hargrove, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Billy Hargrove, Steve Has Issues, a tiny sprinkle of angst, tag it like its twitter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:07:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27696035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quyinn/pseuds/Quyinn
Summary: Billy knocks their heads together and smiles at him. Something sharp and dangerous and it sends a shiver down Steve's spine. "Do you wana do somethin' reckless?""Are you capable of anything else, California?"
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 13
Kudos: 106





	Sweater Weather

**Author's Note:**

> quick warning, there's mentions of implied suicide- nothing graphic but look after yourselves :))  
> also a big thank you to my gorgeous beta, B<33

Steve's at the quarry sitting over the edge. His feet swing a little in the lazy late night breeze. The wind skates over the quarry, water black in the moonlight.

Sometimes the shadows move. 

At the edge of his vision they dance and pounce and prowl and flounce and follow Steve's muddy sneakers as he wanders the streets of Hawkins. The shadows stroke over his back when he's dry heaving, doubled over in a panic attack outside the general store. They nip at his heels when he runs past the fresh trim lawns of Loch Nora, face scrubbed red-raw by the sleeve of his sweat soaked cashmere sweater. 

The light glitters over the still water. He wonders if that silvery reflection would taste as pure as it looks. Clouds pass overhead with the soft wind, barely nudging Steve's chestnut bangs from where they hang limply over his forehead. 

"Anyone ever died from jumpin'?"

Steve's too tired to flinch at the sudden noise. He heard footsteps, sure, but he always hears footsteps. The waft of cigarette smoke and cheap cologne tells him who's stood behind him. Not that he needs any more clues, with the scratchy southern accent. 

"Yeah."

He glances over from the corner of his eye when Hargrove starts walking over with slow, heavy steps. His jeans are dirty, mud on the knees as if he's tripped over. His fingers are still when they drop to his sides, jean jacket sleeves covering the backs of his hands.

Steve sighs and reaches over to pluck Hargrove's half smoked cigarette out of his thick fingers. He sucks in a mouthful until it burns, lip twitching when Hargrove makes this high hum of surprise. 

"His name was Matty. A couple years above me in middle school. He jumped on a dare, his mates called him names- basically pushed him into it. Pussy. Faggot. Daisy." Steve flicks ash off the edge. "His parents moved out of Hawkins as soon as he was in the ground. I duno where his mates ended up." 

"All that blood on their hands." Hargrove murmurs. He drops down beside Steve, their knees almost touching but he doesn't ask for the smoke back. 

"Hop says it's like hitting solid concrete. Somethin' about how the water can't move out of the way for your body fast enough and your bones break from the force. Dying practically instantly. There are worse ways to go, I guess."

Hargrove makes a curious noise in the back of his throat. 

Steve doesn't really know why he answers. He can hear the echo of Hopper guessing  _ maybe 120-140 feet down. _ Maybe it's the cooling summer chill of Hawkins air at night or maybe he's just sick of keeping everything to himself. 

He sees Joyce Byers' face, gaunt and hallowed when they supposedly found her son's body below their feet. He tells Billy how Will got taken by something more dangerous than some murky water in a quarry. He skims over the splash of blood in his pool, the drowning guilt that clogs his throat. 

Billy takes the smoke off him when he falters. His wide, warm hand rests on Steve's knee. Billy doesn't say 'that sucks' or 'thank you for telling me' or any sort of sign of sympathy. Instead he presses his thumb into the side of Steve's kneecap and lets smoke spill through his parted lips.

"My mom, uh, she used to tell me about this woman. This, like, merciful Goddess who had a home among the waves. Mom used to tell me it was that Goddess who held my board steady on the surf." Billy huffs something that could be a chuckle. 

He spins this story, cherry of his smoke dancing in the air as his hands gesture, of a beautifully kind, powerful Goddess who takes the innocent souls lost at sea into her gentle hands. The women who were thrown overboard by superstitious pirates, ladies who displeased a royal captain, kids who don't know the dangers of salt water, and the goddess would roll them in her palms. Their legs would stick together, lengthening into tails and the Goddess would run her nails over their necks to form gills. Their teeth turning to rocksalt, tongues pointy and pale. The Goddess would guide their spirits to Atlantis where they would live on.

"Mom always admired how the Goddess saw beauty in every creature. Merfolk were her favourite. They were seen as bad luck by most land- dwellers, fear of sirens and such that would tempt man, weak as he is. I think my ma wanted something more from life, sort of desperate. Desperate for change, something to change the misfortune in her life so she…" Billy's knee knocks into Steve's as he tosses the dog end of his smoke off the edge. "She gave herself to the Goddess. Full of hope, my ma." 

Billy chuckles, a bitter sound. 

"D'you think it worked? That she got what she wanted?" Steve asks quietly. 

"I don't know, Pretty boy. Sometimes- sometimes I wanna find out." Steve doesn't ask for more information. He settles his weight on his knees, leaning forward on his elbows to look down in the quarry. He feels Billy's hand settle on the back of his sweater, fingers curling in the collar. He wonders if Billy would push him off. 

"Why don't you? Just jump, I mean." He looks back at Billy for the first time. 

In the silvery moonlight, Billy's hair looks pale, his skin losing its usual tan. His right eye is swollen red, lip busted open and blood drying on his chin. His eyes look so incredibly blue. 

Billy throws his head back and laughs. 

"It sucks," His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows, jaw sharp and voice taking on a sad tone. "The reason my ma left me is the reason I'm stuck here. I can't leave Max with my dad. Fuck, she might be a shit, but nobody else should have to deal with him." 

Steve hums. Billy has shadows under his eyes, not dark and exhausted like Steve's own. They're barely there, blending in with the slight crow's feet, made up of a fear Steve wouldn't understand.

"Haven't you ever wanted to see Atlantis, Pretty boy?" Billy leans over the edge, Steve's shoulders settling in the space under his arm. 

"I never considered it any less than just," Steve sighs, "Dying." Billy smiles, eyebrows drawn down a little. 

"You can die without ending up dead." 

Steve understands that, at least. 

Billy knocks their heads together and smiles at him. Something sharp and dangerous and it sends a shiver down Steve's spine. "Do you wana do somethin' reckless?"

"Are you capable of anything else, California?"

"You know me so well." Billy climbs to his feet and spreads his arms. "Wait there- I saw it the other night." 

"You come out at night often?" Steve turns to look at him, a little alarmed. 

"Normally got my car, don't stress." Billy rolls his eyes. "C'mere, Harrington." 

Steve shuffles back from the edge before standing. The shadows from the trees wave and flutter, leaves forming sharp lines. 

"Why do you need a goddamn boulder?" Steve questions, looking down at Billy. The blond has shucked his jean jacket off and is crouched, fingers jammed underneath the edges of the thick piece of slate. 

"I went cliff diving once back in Cali." Billy grunts, yanking the slate over to the edge. "If you break the surface before you jump, the water will be moving enough to make room for you."

"So it won't be concrete." Steve says. He doesn't think he's much help in pushing the slate, but he tries all the same. 

"Don't you have to, like, know how deep it is?" Steve peers over the edge, kicking some pebbles over the lip of the quarry. Billy plants one foot on their side of the slate as if his body weight will stop it toppling over the edge. He grabs Steve by the collar, stripping him out of his sweater, leaving him in his white polo. 

"Sure I do. The water's goin' to sting like fuck. Let me do all the work. Try not to breath in, and don't die." Billy grins from where he's now edging the slate further and further. 

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Steve tries to keep the nerves out of his throat but Billy gives him this soft smile that says he failed. 

"What's the fun in knowing?" Billy catches his chin in one warm hand. Steve watches the way Billy wets his lips, tongue lingering over the scabbed over split. "Don't you trust me, Stevie?" 

"Objectively? No. You kicked the shit out of me last year."

"You threw the first punch." Billy shrugs, grunting with effort as he kicks the slate over the edge. 

"Wait, maybe we-  _ Billy!" _

Steve shouts as Billy grabs the front of his shirt and shoves him over the edge. 

Billy's arm wraps around his waist as they fall. He didn't even hear the slate break the surface.

It's maybe 3 seconds before they hit the water but the wind bites at Steve's face and he doesn't have time to do much more than take a deep breath as they plunge in. 

Feet first, hands clinging to Billy's forearm where it's clamped around his waist. The water is freezing and Steve spares a thought to shock as his head is swallowed up. 

Steve keeps his eyes screwed shut, kicking his feet when he feels Billy's own legs work. 

Steve sucks in a gasping breath when they breech the surface, fingers shaking against the hot vice of Billy's arm. He tries not to move too much, letting Billy ease them into a gentle float. Billy keeps him against his chest, head on his shoulder, free hand coming up to slick Steve's wet bangs back from his face.

"You with me?" 

"Holy shit." Steve gasps. Billy laughs, raw and quiet into Steve's ear. 

He's shivering, blinking away water as he stares up at the inky sky. Billy shushes him, his own body starting to shake. 

"I can't believe we did that." Steve laughs. The bare skin of his arms stings, his knees aches and his nose hurts where he forgot to hold his breath for a split second. "You- you threw me off a cliff!" 

"And you loved every second of it." Billy murmurs confidently. His fingers are cupping Steve's jaw, running the length of his throat and back again, palm warm where it brushes against his cheek. 

The waterlogged denim covering his legs feels like Steve's about to sink down any second. Billy's arm never loosens around him, hand splayed over his ribs. 

"Anyone ever tell you, you got a smile like sunshine?" Billy says low in his ear.

"Anyone told you, you  _ look _ like sunshine?" He retorts. Steve's face doesn't flush too much, the water keeping him pale. Billy's fingers hook gently between his lips and prodding until Steve smiles. 

"Now,  _ that _ would be ridiculous." Billy strokes along his cheekbone, tucking some stray hairs behind Steve's ear. "You trust me?" Billy asks again. He doesn't stop the slow drag of his fingers over Steve's skin. 

Steve wraps his own fingers around Billy's wrist, making sure the grip is firm around his waist. 

"Terrifyingly, yeah. I do." He tips his chin up to catch Billy's eye in the moonlight. His pupils are blown wide with adrenaline, Steve's are probably black, colour a barely there ring. 

Billy's fingers pinch Steve's nose, his knees hitting the backs of Steve's long legs as Billy forces them up and out of the water, only to fold Steve over and follow in a somersault. 

Steve splutters when they bob back up, Billy finally loosening his grip around his waist, only to catch Steve's long fingers in his own. His skin is water-cooled but warming quickly as he squeezes Steve's hand. 

Steve coughs, wiping his eyes with his knuckles. Billy's treading water like he was born doing it. Steve's legs can't seem to find a rhythm, his chin dipping below the inky water once, twice, three times and Billy's fingers are letting go of his in favour of scooping him up under his armpits. 

The blond shakes his head, curls plastered down, eyes bright and  _ beautiful _ in the dark. Steve wets his lips, mouth suddenly dry. Billy's red shirt is almost translucent, nipples pebbled. 

"Havin' fun yet?" Billy says, voice rough and warm. Steve's shivering, sinking into Billy's chest without realising until his hands are curled over the broad muscles of Billy's shoulders. "Hey," Billy frowns when Steve starts to pull away, heat rising in his cheeks. "It's cool. Y'know how long it's been since I've had a hug?" 

Steve thinks Billy was going for humour, his blunt teeth set in a grin, but his face is just as flushed as Steve's. 

The brunet wraps his arms slowly, more solidly around Billy, hooking his chin over his shoulder. He even hooks his feet around Billy's calfs, letting him do all the work to keep them afloat. 

"Okay?" Steve asks, tucking his face a little closer to the warm crook of Billy's neck.

"Terrifyingly, yeah." Billy breathes. He slides one palm up Steve's spine, stroking through the hair at the base of his skull. His nose nudges Steve's temple as Steve pulls back. 

"I- Shit, I really want to kiss you." Steve says into the space between their mouths. 

Billy laughs, drawing him in even closer until their chests are pressing together and tilting Steve's head slightly to the left. 

Steve's eyes half close when Billy covers his mouth with his own. His lips are cool, plush and they practically crush Steve's, firm. Gentle. 

Billy makes a low noise in the back of his throat when Steve kisses him back hard. They tip backwards in the quarry, shoulders disappearing under the cool water. 

Billy's eyes are open, Steve notices when his vision finally stops blurring. They're  _ so _ blue and glazed over, blinking slowly as Billy sucks in a deep breath through his nose, tongue curling over Steve's. The kiss is soft and deep and sweet and long and so far from being long enough.

Billy's mouth tastes like metal and Steve chases it over his tongue. Steve breaks the kiss with a shudder, immediately pressing his lips to the corner of Billy's swollen mouth. 

"Come home with me? So I know you don't die of shock or something." Steve kisses him again, softly, bottom lip red and plush between his own. 

"If I was going to die, I would be dead already." Billy rolls his beautiful eyes, letting go of Steve in favour of swimming to the edge of the water, where the dusty ground makes a muddy excuse for sand. 

Steve hums, frowning, and kisses Billy again, already missing the heat of his mouth. 

They stumble up the overgrown dirt path, hand in hand. Billy's arm is around his waist, fingers linked over Steve's hip, his mouth never really moving far from Steve's cheek.

Steve wonders if it could be the adrenaline that's making his heart race in his chest. He watches Billy pull off his combat boots, peeling his jeans down his thighs and slinging them in the backseat of the Beamer. 

Then he's standing in front of Steve, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling off his sodden polo shirt. Steve's breath hitches. He rests his palms on Billy's shoulders, the blond smiling softly before kissing him.

Steve didn't see Billy scoop up the jean jacket but it's quickly wrapped around his shoulders before the night air has barely grazed his skin. Steve smiles, taking his sweater out of Billy's hands and encouraging him to pull it over his head. He smooths the wool down Billy's chest with gentle palms. 

The shoulders are slightly too tight, but the sleeves almost cover the thick bumps of Billy's knuckles. 

Steve catches his fingers and they just stand there, shivering, skin in goosebumps, lips pulled into smiles and sharing the same air. He can feel his cheeks heat when Billy rests his forehead on Steve's. 

The wind skates over the back of his damp neck. Billy kisses him and he shivers again, from the base of his skull, all along his spine and down to his toes. Billy twists their fingers together, his tanned skin paled from the chill. 

He presses a kiss to Steve's knuckles, eyes half open. 

"You're not getting this sweater back." 

"That's okay." Steve breathes, watching the way Billy's lips purse. "It's too cold not to wear one here." 

Billy smiles up at him and his face lights up like sunshine. Their mouths crush together and it tastes like moonlight.   
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! let me know if i missed a tag or made a mistake :))
> 
> tumblr if u wana chat: bloodyjacksparrow  
> twitter if u wanasee me on my bullshit: f3ckyouhunnybee
> 
> i forgot! full disclaimer, u will deadass get hurt if u jump off things higher than 60 odd feet n according to google the rock thing doesnt always work so yknow pls dont do it be safe nerds x


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